Religious Highs Do Not Last

 I have never been impressed with services that end with an offer Altar Call, especially when these Altar Calls allow a person to claim membership in a church or guarantee salvations.  It takes more than a few words offered at the time of an emotional high to receive true salvation.  Spiritual highs and the emotions that come with them always soon fade because of our sin nature - PRIDE.

There can often be many factors that drive these emotional spiritual highs.  Sometimes, it’s simply the highly emotional atmosphere of the service, the moving music that’s played, the camaraderie and fellowship with fellow attendees, the prospect of being free from the negative effects of our sin. 

But you don’t have to be a Christian to love any of these things. At one point in His ministry, Jesus himself rebuked a large crowd of His own followers because they were “fired up” for reasons that had nothing to do with seeing His beauty or His glory — they just enjoyed seeing Jesus miracles.  John 6:25–27 (ESV) 25 "When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food…”

If there is to be any lasting effect from these events and experiences, it must include seeing and savoring Jesus Christ. Anything of true, durable worth from these experiences comes from seeing God clearly as He really is. This can come from sermons, or discussions, or singing in worship, or late night conversations, prayers, and devotions.  When we truly see the light of the glory of Christ clearly, the things of this world seem dim and worthless by comparison.

A house does not fall if its foundation is firm.  Matthew 7:25 (ESV)

25 "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock." A tree does not wither when its roots are deep enough to reach water. Psalm 1:1–3 (ESV) 1 “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night. 3 He is …”  So, when the house of our spiritual life and our war against sin comes crumbling down or withers, we should ask ourselves, “Why?”

If our sight of God and our worship is dependent on the church facility, or the high-energy sermons, or the packed crowd, or the worship band, our spiritual lives will fall apart again when these things are taken away. The house falls because the foundation is destroyed or weak.

Jesus warns of those who receive the word of God with gladness, but then fall away because they have no root.  Mark 4:16–17 (ESV) 16 “And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall …”  This is the danger that we face. After hearing the word with gladness, how do we go on to produce the fruit of righteousness?  Mark 4:20 (ESV) 20 “But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” How do we cultivate joy in Christ at home, away from the spiritual crutches of an emotional service? The first step is to prepare for war.

Striving to rejoice in the glory of God is an act of rebellion against Satan’s dominion over this world, 1 John 5:9 (ESV) 9 “If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that He has come concerning His Son”. And rebellion against our very own fallen flesh. Romans 3:11 (ESV)11 “...no one understands; no one seeks for God.”  We are saved through God’s grace not by anything we do.  Paul likens us to soldiers in a war, where we are at risk of entangling ourselves in civilian pursuits. 2 Timothy 2:4 (ESV) 4 “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.”  Therefore, we must put off the false security of an emotionally charged decision, made at the last service  and realize that there is a war being waged over our souls.  If you believe the fight is over when you accept Christ as your Savior you are terribly wrong the fight has just begun.

As John Owen writes, “Be killing sin or sin will be killing you.” Allowing ourselves to be lulled into idleness and complacency, because of our confidence in a “rededication,” is like stripping ourselves of our armor mid-battle. 

The war in the mind is fought by seeing and rejoicing in the truth. It is fought by putting our mind to the task of knowing the Lord more fully. Our desire is to know Him and the power of His resurrection so that we may take up our own cross and follow Him.  Philippians 3:10 (ESV)10 “...that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, …”

God has given ways to provide this grace for us: we sing together (Ephesians 5:19), we come together regularly to worship Jesus and to hear His word preached (2 Timothy 4:2; Hebrews 10:25), we enjoy the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23–26), we pray (Acts 2:42). 

There are more steps we may take to see more of Jesus. It may mean turning off the television if it clogs our spiritual vision. It may mean taking time to read theology. It may begin with taking time to listen to sermons that further our understanding of the Word or taking time to read books that increase our sight of God and taking time to worship and pray and to meditate on the person of Christ.  We must do whatever it takes if we want to see Jesus more clearly.  A few words uttered after an emotional service is not enough.

The clearer our vision of a holy God is, the more it drives us to our knees by the sight of our own sin. The clearer our vision of our sin becomes, the deeper is our sight of God’s mercy and grace through Christ. The deeper we understand His mercy and grace, the more we are amazed by the beauty of this God, the Creator of the universe. For “what is man that you are mindful of Him, and the son of man that you care for Him?” (Psalm 8:4).

As we are amazed by the beauty of God, the more willing we become to take up our cross and lose everything to be with Him (Mark 8:34; Philippians 3:8) — "...troubles and suffering cannot pull us away from the priceless treasure we’ve found", (Matthew 13:44–46; Mark 4:17). Therefore, let us “Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness” and press onward to see and to know him in the full array of his majestic beauty. (Psalm 96:9; Hosea 6:3). 

IN CLOSING REMEMBER -If you ever have felt so good about your faith that you think nothing could go wrong?  That was your first mistake!   When we get too comfortable. We are most vulnerable to compromise.  There’s nothing wrong with “mountaintop experiences.” Jesus and His friends had them. But if we’re not careful, we may begin depending on that good feeling to get us through the day rather than our relationship with God.  if we become to dependent on that fuzzy feeling, what do you think will happen when that feeling goes away? 

Deception in the Church

 A growing number of pastors, teachers, and evangelists within the Charismatic/Pentecostal/Evangelical/Prosperity circles of the Christian church are advancing what has come to be known as the "Word Faith" movement. Its major leaders include Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Frederick K. C. Price, Jesse Duplantis, Sid Roth, Joyce Meyers and David (Paul) Yongii Cho, who pastors one of the largest churches in the world in Seoul, Korea.  Other well-known Word Faith personalities include Gloria Copeland, Robert Tilton, John Avanzini, John Osteen, T. L. Osborne, Charles Capps, Marilyn Hickey, Jerry Savelle, J.D. Jake,  Morris Cerullo, Casey Treat, Dwight Thompson, Hinn, John Hagee, Rodney Brown, Creflo Dollar and Richard Roberts. The Christian Broadcasting Networks that endorse and support these people are Daystar and Trinity Broadcasting Network.

I want to make it clear I do not believe that every word these ministers/teachers say is deception.  I listen to Joyce Meyers and Joel Osteen regularly, but they do freely stray from the Gospel when it fits their needs.  That is why it is so important for everyone to study and know scripture for themselves so they can discern truth from deception.  Christians are told to compare any teachings, and the gospel they bring, to the Word of God and to cast off any that contradict Scripture (Acts 17:11; Galatians 1:6-9; 1 Thessalonians 5:21).

Trinity Broadcasting Network’s worldwide platform has mainstreamed Word Faith theology to the lives of millions of Christians who would not otherwise have encountered Word Faith theology.  Christianity in the western world has been so heavily influenced in many quarters by this movement that now many consider it the main thrust of the charismatic movement. 

In Europe these doctrines are brought in through visiting USA speakers and their materials, and by influential local pastors and leaders (all looking to get rich) - and also through the "GOD Christian Channel" which concentrates on many of these teachers/evangelist/pastors via Satellite and Cable TV. Recently England refused to allow Hinn to enter their country because they did not want their citizens exposed or conned by him anymore.  The Word Faith movement took hold in Africa rapidly because local ministers were influenced by the wealth of the evangelist from the United States.

The leaders of this movement are quick to attack anyone who questions their teachings.  They claim those that question are "sowing division in the body" or lack faith or lack belief in God’s ability to heal, or they may even claim they are demon possessed. No man on earth today has the power to instantly heal one after another.  Why is there never any medical proof of these healings?  

A classic example of this can be seen in a quote from Word-Faith teacher Kenneth Hagin: "When the Lord was dealing with me concerning the prophet's (HIS) ministry, GOD said that if a church doesn't accept my ministry then I should go my own way, shake the dust off my feet against them (CURSE THEM) so to speak; but GOD would remove their candlestick (THEIR POWER).  GOD said that judgment must begin in the house of God, and If a church won't accept  MY ministry, then they wouldn't accept His Word if it came from His own mouth and even GOD can't help them."

If a person reads into the sacred text something that does not belong there and is not consistent with sound exegesis and hermeneutics, then Christians have a right an should challenge and expose error and point out who these mistaken teachers are (Acts 20:28-31 & 2 Timothy 2:16-18).  It does not mean that these teachers are not true Christians, although they may not be.  It does not mean that we should love them any less.  It simply means that an error has been found and exposed and should be dealt with in love for the truth, and compassion for those that could be damaged by the deception.

The spiritual mentor of today's Word-Faith teachers is Essek W. Kenyon, a man who was greatly influenced by the metaphysical mind science cults such as Christian Science, Unity School of Christianity, and Church of Religious Science and who received his theological training from the Emerson School of Oratory in Boston, Mass.  The founder of that institution, Charles Wesley Emerson, is on record as being a member of the Mother Church of Christian Science from 1903 to 1908.

After leaving the school - it is not clear from records whether or not he graduated - Kenyon settled in Seattle, Wash., where he was pastor of the New Covenant Baptist Church and broadcast a radio program, "Church of the Air," until his death in 1948.  Kenyon's Gospel Publishing Society published materials from his writings and broadcasts.  It is from these publications that most of the presumptions of the Word-Faith teachings are drawn, but most believe they originated from Kenneth E. "Dad" Hagin. The truth is that Hagin got most of his doctrines from Kenyon and his daughter, Ruth Kenyon Houseworth.

The bedrock of Word-Faith doctrine is what Kenyon calls "new creation realities." For the rest of the Word-Faith assertions to work, man first must be exalted to a high position.  Word-Faith teaching puts man on the same level as Jesus Christ.  This is done by assembling Scripture passages to purportedly prove that once a man is in Christ, then the "new creature" spoken of in 2 Corinthians 5:17 has the same spirit as God.   Kenyon writes: "You see, man is a spirit being.  He is in the same class with God.  He was created in the image and likeness of God.  He had to be in order to become a partaker of the Divine Nature.  Creflo Dollar today says “We are little “gods” all of us that accept Christ become “little gods”.   Creflo Dollar says the only thing human about us is our physical bodies all else is the a same as God.

Kenneth Copeland writes in “Now We Are In Christ Jesus, p. 5”. that Hagin says, "The believer is as much an Incarnation as Jesus Christ.”  Kenneth Copeland says, "Jesus is no longer the only begotten son of God" (Now We Are In Christ Jesus, p. 24). "We are the Word made flesh, just as Jesus was."  So, in the Word-Faith teaching, Jesus loses his uniqueness.  The believer is elevated to the position of being a God-man the same way Jesus was a God-man.  They claim that the only difference is Jesus obtained his position by birth and the rest obtain it by a re-creation of the spirit.  Read  Isaiah 44:8: "Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any" ( Isaiah 43:10; John 1:18;  John 5:44; John 17:3; James 2:19; 1 Timothy 2:5; Colossians 1:14-17; Hebrews 1:2-3).  Joyce Meyers teaches the same thing we are all Sons of God just as Jesus Christ is.  Christ is no longer the only begotten Son of God.

Kenneth and Gloria Copeland and Fredrick Price say the blood of Christ did not pay for ours sins.  Christ suffering and blood on the cross was not enough to pay our sin debt.  That Jesus lost all his spirituality and God the Father forsake Christ and sent Him to suffer in hell for three days.  Christ paid our sin debt in hell not on the cross.  Gloria Copeland even added if the cross had been enough the two thieves that hung on crosses by Jesus could have paid our sin debt.  Read Hebrews 12:2: "Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross [not torture in hell], despising the shame.”  "In whom [Jesus] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7).( Psalm 139:7-8; John 5:26; 10:17-18; 19:30;  Colossians 1:19-20;  2:13-15; Revelation 1:5). 

the Word-Faith plan of redemption says:  Man was created as the "same order of being as God."  A spirit temporarily housed in a body.  He was given dominion over the Earth.  When he committed "high treason" by following Satan instead of God, man then gave up the divine nature and took on the nature of Satan.  Satan then became the god of this world and man thereafter was born with the satanic nature.  "Suddenly, God was on the outside the earth looking in", (Kenneth Copeland, Our Covenant With God, p. 8).  They say Satan rules the earth and God is ruling heaven and God has no power on earth until Jesus Christ comes again.

On the cross, the plan of redemption merely began.  It was there that Jesus took on the nature of Satan, lost His divinity, became a mortal man, and went to hell.  There He suffered torture at the hand of Satan until God said "enough." Having kept the Law of God perfectly, the man Jesus was declared to be "illegally" in hell.  At that point, Jesus' spirit was re-created.  He again had the divine nature - Jesus was then born again!   Just as we are born again or recreated when we accept Jesus Christ as the Messiah.  Re-created men "now have the nature of God... the ability of God" (E.W. Kenyon, What Happened from the Cross to the Throne, p. 82).  There are no verses in Scripture to support this blasphemous theology - read Exodus 8:10: "There is none like unto the Lord our God"  Exodus 9:13-14; Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; 2 Samuel 7:22; Isaiah 46:9; Jeremiah 10:6; Hosea 11:9).

Word Faith ministers use different interpretations of words that are not the correct Greek or Hebrew.  They make the words fit their needs for example I was amused when Charles Capps said Concerning the statement in Job 1:21, "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away," Word-Faith teacher Charles Capps says, "Job did say it, but it is not a true statement.  It is a lie. ... Job was not under the anointing when he made that statement" (The Tongue - A Creative Force, pp. 8-9).  A few weeks prior the same teacher said EVERY WORD IN THE BIBLE IS TRUE!!

When this kind of fanciful Bible interpretation is used, the Scriptures can be made to say anything you want them to say.

Was Judas a traitor or revolutionists?

There are two ways to bring about change – revolution or evolution. Revolution is characterized by speed and violence, divide and rule, hierarchies and centralized power. Evolution is characterized by its slow pace. It does not rush change. It empowers instead of dictates.

The Jewish people were looking for a Messiah that would come and take control and restore the Jews to power.  They were looking for a political and military Messiah. The change would be quick.

Read John 13:18-30.

1.      Jesus tells us He must be betrayed in order to fulfill the scriptures.

2.      Jesus knew He would be betrayed and He knew who would betray Him. 

We cannot lose sight of the fact that Judas did have freewill. He could have chosen a different path, but I believe Judas thought the path he chose was the right one at first. He was not an enemy of Jesus Christ he was an impatient friend of Jesus.

4.      We are told Satan entered Judas as soon as he took the bread from Jesus. This indicates to me that Judas gave in to Satan’s temptation as we have all done at one time or another.

5.      Judas controlled the money. Jesus selected Judas to be a disciple and to be the treasurer. I do not believe Judas was a thief. When Judas left the meal the disciples thought Judas had gone to buy provisions for the feast or give money to the poor.

6.      It is true Jesus like to give gifts and Judas did not like wasting money and thought some of Jesus’ gifts were a waste of money, but that in no way means he was a thief or a betrayer.

7.      Jesus’ approach to change was evolution and Judas’ approach to change was revolution.

8.      Judas was the only one from Judea. The rest were from Galilee. People from Judea were thought to be smarter than those from Galilee. Being the treasurer indicates he might have been the most intelligent or best educated.  I believe Judas was the only one that really understood Christ words that night. I think he knew Christ was about to go peacefully and not fight.

9.      Judas most likely thought Christ had the people behind him after he entered Jerusalem successfully. He may have thought now is the time for the revolution and to take power from Rome. He certainly did not want Christ to surrender peacefully. 

Judas was not looking for a servant Messiah and the fact that Christ washed the feet of the others may have offended him or worried him.

11.  The words of Jesus, “…whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.” This would have challenged what Judas believed in. Judas did not want the power of the priest done away with. He wanted top/down management to prevent chaos. Judas was not the only one wanting Christ to take a political role. 

I think Judas thought he could force Christ into taking the political role he wanted for Christ.

13.  I do not think Judas took the action he did out of hate, betrayal or wanting Christ dead. Judas took the action he did out of frustration/inpatients. Christ was not playing the role Judas wanted Him to play.

14.  Judas was guilty of naivete thinking he could outsmart the priest.

15.  I think the symbolism of the broken bread and shared wine consolidated Judas’ fears. Judas understood Christ was about to give His life freely without a fight. This would go against Judas’ political desires and the Jews once again being a ruling nation.

16.  I think Judas thought the crowd that was following the soldiers to take Jesus would riot as soon as the soldiers attempted to take Jesus. Christ would surely take up the revolution then.

17.  Initially it looked like Judas’ plan was going as he may have planned there were swords drawn. But, then Christ put an end to Judas’ plan and ordered everyone to stop fighting. He made it clear He did not want a rebellion.

18.  Judas was overcome with remorse and tried to return the money, but the religious leaders refused to take it back and Judas threw the money on the ground in front of them and left. The money must not have been the key issue of the betrayal.

19.  Judas then took his own life.

Most Christians refuse to look for a bit of Judas in ourselves. We find it easier to see Judas as filth, cast him away as the betrayer and not learn from his mistakes. I believe his remorse and grief were sincere. I believe God forgave him. 

The disciples may have been more forgiving than us for in Acts 1, Judas is described by the disciple as simply the “guide for those who arrested Jesus.” They found someone to replace Judas. That indicates to me Judas had a vital role in Christ ministry and was productive. I think the disciples realized that there was a part of Judas in them and I think there is a part of Judas in us.

When we try to get Christ to do what we want a part of Judas comes forth. When we try to control who can and cannot have access to Christ a part of Judas comes forth. When we insist that everyone must come to Christ as we believe they should a part of Judas comes forth.

God will no longer be held captive to rules of men and women who preach to enrich themselves or become powerful and especially men who try to dictate who can and cannot take part in the sacraments that Christ instituted. 

We all freely have access to God! I want to learn from the religious leaders, but I do not need them to represent me before God. I will represent myself.